Abstract

To the editor: I was disturbed by Dr. Israel's comments in the May issue, "Stop Isoniazid Prophylaxis" (Ann Intern Med 80:672-673, 1974).

Dr. Israel cites the study of Edwards and associates (1), and he seems to believe that a rate of 75 new active cases per 100 000 population of tuberculin reactors is too low to require isoniazid preventive therapy. It should be pointed out, however, that the rate is for 1 year. The risk of a tuberculin reactor getting tuberculosis is lifelong; he is at risk each year he lives. Since the reactors reported by Edwards and